Thanks. yeah, the new map was a pretty big project. It incorporates many small changes that have accumulated over the past four years. But I'm really liking the direction it's going. Of course, it's going to take MONTHS to get everything on the website synced with the new map. That's ok.

I'm also planning on doing more art in 2019. Once the current D&D campaign is wrapped up (and it's going to be wrapped up soon, maybe two more sessions), I'm going to switch gears and spend more time adding artwork to Khoras. Chiefly 3D computer generated stuff. I've got a couple dozen things in Khoras I'd like to illustrate with some really great 3D art and I also want to get better at 3D. I've had an itch to dive deep into 3D artwork and Khoras is the perfect playground for that. The new image of the Citadel is one example of the new artwork (although that new image can be improved upon as well).

It's been a few months for me, too (been busy with life, going back to school, etc.), but I agree. I appreciate that you always ask this question, but my default answer will usually be in line with Laurent and Delbareth: we're petty tyrants of our own tables, so feel free to include as much canon information as you want, and we'll be free to take or leave anything you provide as it suits our needs.

OK so the next question is : when this new technic appeared ?In the History section, it is only said that Ozryk was a very talented sorcerer and that is formed the Alliance with 12 of his friends. And "Despite its growing size, true power eluded the group until Thull X, the Emperorís son, joined." It seems to imply point #3 only.

Well, I guess we can suppose that such very talented mage started to discover a new way to do magic, and were searching funds to do their researches. And when they had, their strengh grew considerably. We can also guess they protected their secrets by creating Huridian, in order non-Alliance mages (I suppose there were a lot of second class mages who didn't belong to the Alliance) cannot have the same power.

It would be quite consistent. I like it !

In my next game, I want to make the character go to the Assembly Hall few days before the Sundering. At this time, I'm sure a lot of trouble with Drellikar were noticed y Alliance, Traxx and League. Alliance were "working on it", trying to brain-storm of the potential consequences and correctives actions to do. On the other hand, Traxx sent a suicid commando team to sabotage the spell. And I was wondering what Traxx mages can do to make the commando sneak in the Assembly. I though of very potent anti-magic spells, just to give the squad time to reach the core.Of course it will fail (anyway, even if it succeed, it's too late and the Traxx mission success would have been kept secret by the Alliance the following days), and the Sundering will happen. Back in their home city before the sundering, PC will then have survive the chaos and protect their Mage-lord master.

What will be tricky for me as a GM is to avoid the player realize they live during the Sundering events. They all know the general history of the world (event if they lack details), and I have to prevent me pronouncing some words like "Thull", "Alliance mage-lord", "Focusing", etc...

I always viewed the Alliance mage lords as having developed a complete branch of arcane science that is different than, and more powerful than, the magic of modern wizards. (Essentially, #1 on your list). This is what allowed them to accomplish such incredible feats on such a large scale. Some of the major feats they accomplished included:

Engineering entire new species of plants and animals and humanoidsThe creation of a network of advanced teleport gates that spanned the Thullian EmpireThe creation of vastly powerful magic items which are now artifacts todayAnd of course the Focusing spell itself.

Using D&D terms, I've always imagined that the Alliance mage lords were capable of 10th, 11th, and even 12th level spells. The Focusing would be an example (and probably the only example) of a 12th level spell... something that required the combined efforts of hundreds of wizards, had a casting time measured in years and literally tore apart a star and indirectly reshaped the world.

All of their incredible magic was lost when the Alliance mage lords were hunted down and killed after the Sundering. They were able to be hunted down and killed because, in the years after the Sundering, magic become unpredictable and difficult to control. Much of their wealth, magic and knowledge was destroyed by angry mobs and vengeful kings in retribution for the Sundering. Their magic today only exists as the occasional artifact that shows up in a treasure horde (most artifacts, in the traditional D&D sense, are enchanted items that were created by the mage lords).

Also, they have a written magic system called Huridian, which is so complex that it confounds all attempts to translate it. Though rare, there are books and scrolls written in Huridian that survive to this day. Most such books and scrolls are jealously guarded in the libraries of wizard guilds. Adventurers occasionally unearth an ancient tome written in Huridian. Any wizard who successfully translates Huridian could potentially unlock the power of the mage lords. Although that would likely take years or decades. Huridian has successfully defied all attempts to decode it for centuries. Many have tried. All of failed.

Well, almost all... in actuality, there are two wizards who have successfully decoded Huridian. Though neither of those wizards has made that information public knowledge. And both of them live far from civilization.

Karnus was one of the few Alliance mage lords to escape. Years after the Sundering, he learned to regain control of his magic, relocated to another continent (Qeshir) and used his magic to help build a new nation (Anquar) which was dedicated to peace. He also created the Eight Talismans of Anquar (definitely artifacts) which helped build the nation.

So, that's how I run Khoras in my games. Feel free to adjust things for your games.

Hope that helps.

Rereading your comment, I would say that #3 and #4 are also true. The Alliance was heavily funded by the Empire and cooperation between mages was a major part of their strength. Both of those things helped them achieve great things. But #1 is what really set them apart.

Thanks for the input. I will definitely create a "master map" that includes everything. It's probably going to be a few weeks before I can return to the map, but I'll get there. In the meantime, I hope everyone enjoys the new map.